WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 23, 2012) — Toyota today served as the presenting sponsor of the District of Columbia’s largest Latino Festival— Fiesta DC – further demonstrating its commitment to the Latino community. With more than 100,000 attendees, Fiesta DC featured five stages incorporating music, folklore, theater, and other performing arts. In addition, the event included a Children’s Festival, a Science Fair, a Community-Based Organization Information Fair, a Diplomatic Pavilion for embassies and consulates and sections for arts & crafts, public information and international cuisine. This flagship event brought together community leaders, social media and technology influencers, educators, government officials and others to celebrate the contributions of the U.S. Latino community.

As the exclusive automotive sponsor, Toyota engaged participants with activities aimed to showcase its revolutionary safety program for Hispanic families, Buckle-Up for Life (BUFL), and displayed some of the best-selling Toyota models in the Hispanic market.

Other Toyota activities included:

an interactive photo booth providing official photos for Fiesta DC;

seat belt and child car seat safety information and giveaways;

and opportunities to interact with the popular Toyota RAV4 and Camry.

Toyota also is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) with the launch of @ToyotaLatino on Twitter. The new handle will provide the company opportunities to highlight and celebrate the community, engage at live events such as Fiesta DC and share more vehicle information with owners and enthusiasts.

“Fiesta DC has a 41-year history of highlighting the diversity of the Latin American culture,” said Julie Hamp, Toyota’s North American chief communications officer. “Toyota is honored to celebrate this event and Latino heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond.”

Since 2004, Toyota has been the leading automotive brand among the U.S. Latino community. Data indicates nearly one of six Latino buyers choose a Toyota when purchasing a car or truck, the highest of any brand. Toyota brands make up more than half of all U.S. hybrid purchases by Latinos.

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs over 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed over $600 million dollars to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

With a 41 year history of celebrating excellence in the Latino community and more than 100,000 attendees, Fiesta DC is the largest Latino Festival in the Washington Metropolitan Region, which includes the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The annual event presents a unique opportunity for small businesses and large corporations, as well as government agencies and non-profit organizations, to reach out to and engage the Latino community.

In 2012, Fiesta DC featured five stages incorporating music, folklore, theater, and other performing arts. A colorful Parade of Nations included hundreds of dancers from 30 folkloric groups from Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean. In addition, the event included a Children’s Festival, a Science Fair, a Community-Based Organization Information Fair, a Diplomatic Pavilion for embassies and consulates and sections for arts & crafts, public information and international cuisine. For more information, please visit: www.fiestadc.org.

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